We dreamed of Cabo and beaches, of New York and shows, of Cancun and more beaches. We thought of Washington DC and Florida. We thought of Denver and the mountains. But then we remembered we all work in non-profit, and decided to stick to what we can, in reality, truly afford.
The train.
Ah Yes. The Train.
We included my mom in our reindeer games, and then pulled my cousins into it, as the landing pad for Christmas day. Everyone was in.
I had to agree to NOT talk about it beforehand on facebook,or on here, because my very worried mom decided that someone that read my stuff would come and steal from all our homes. Now that is the true Christmas spirit. (chuckling to myself)
Well, Saturday morning rolls around and we head to the Amtrak station in Norman. Mom has taken a train before but can tell us NOTHING about her experience, except for "IT took awhile to get there", leaving me wondering if she had indeed, ever taken the train, or if she just went on a "binge-r" with the red hat ladies and had no recollection of going or coming.
The train was fun. They had really big comfy seats you can sprawl out on, and recliner parts that pop up to raise your legs in the air. Pretty nifty. Can't get that kind of service on a tightly packed jet, that's for sure.
Plus it cost $29. Hello. That is my kind of vacation.
We arrive in Fort Worth, grab a rental car and off to the Hyatt we go. (yep, we roughed it). After we got there we left Gram to recover on the heating pad, and took off to find a Target to fill up our fridge with various water and tea items. We drove by the Texas Gaylord and Great Wolf Lodge and wondered why in the world we didn't think to stay there, and then remembered that "Oh, we are non-profit", and "Oh, we don't wear swimsuits"...but WOW, they look fun and were PACKED.
Saw the movie "We bought a ZOO" in a theatre with tables and the ability to order food, and I think I had died and gone to heaven. (see, it's the small things)
Afterward we went to the hotel, and Lacey and Hallie surprised me with their footed jammies in Hello Kitty theme. I was so proud, and a bit jealous I didn't have some to wear too.
I promptly fell asleep the minute my head hit the pillow....now here's where the fun stuff starts.
About middle of the night (I have no glasses, and no concept of time at this point.) All I know is my mom has been knocking out some snoring in the next bed, (with Lacey in there with her) and she's woken me up a couple of times. I moved over closer to the fan unit and put pillows over my head, so I reduced the majority of the snoring decibels and have gone back to sleep. Then....all the sudden someone runs in to my bed. WHAT THE??? I sit straight up in bed, and there is no one. Mom's doing her best soft snore and I don't see anyone up running around, so I hunker back down in the covers and in about 3 minutes.... my bed shakes again. WHAT THE??? I sit up AGAIN and NOTHING. I shake my head and think, "this is creepin me out"...when it HAPPENS AGAIN. Ok, now I'm convinced the room is haunted and the ghosts are running into my bed. I double thickness the blankets on me and cower under my covers like a 3 year old. In about 10 minutes I hear my mom get up.... "Mommy?" I venture..... about to lay my worried chicken problems at her feet, when she tells me, "I've Lost Lacey". WHAT? You've lost Lacey? We're locked in a 30 x 10 room, how do you lose Lacey? .... and then she says "Oh, here she is..." laying in the floor at the foot of my bed. This child doesn't sleep walk? That's her sister and cousin. But all the little pieces started floating into place for me.
The snoring. The strange knocking on my bed. OHHHH. That's what happened. I crawled to the end of the bed and managed to grab Lacey's boob (I don't have my glasses on, come on), instead of her arm, and wake her up almost screaming (sits straight up in shock) and I tell her, "Come get in bed with me" and up she crawls. We all sleep. Kind of.
At 8 am, Lacey & I wake up to the gentle snoring of our gram, and we start re-living the nights events and get so tickled we are heehawing like donkeys.
Here's what happened.....
Gram and Lacey have this "Thing" they do, hold hands and sleep. They've done it since Lacey was a tot. Well, Gram didn't snore then, and now she does, and when Lacey wakes up about 1:30 am, there is grammie all in her bubble, snoring right in her mug. She moves away from the snore and puts a pillow on her head, but no use. She gets up...takes the comforter off our our beds and makes a pallet at the end of my bed and in her turning and tossing of trying to get comfortable, she is whacking the foot of my bed, giving me the dreaded "Ghost Knocking".
Gram is oblivious.
After Lacey hears my "Ghost" story...she replies "And I thought you were just being nice, putting me in bed with you...You wanted me to quit running into the bed". Oh my heavens. Of COURSE THAT's NOT IT.
Of Course It's Not. Of Course. It's Not. Of Course.
Really.
We decided to surprise the cousin and wear our favorite christmas sweaters (you know what I am talking about). After a marginal continental breakfast with 150 Asian folk, down in the dining area, we saunter to my cousin's house in Rowlett for the day. WHAT. A. Blast. Mike is the cook, and he spoiled us to the highest magnitude. Food was awesome..(I'm still full thinking about it) ... My baby cousin, Megan kept us in stories of her job in the mental hospital (WOW, that's a whole 'nother blog) and brings these devilish pecan pie/chocolate chip divine tasty treats, that should be banned from the food chain, they are so sinful.....and we get to meet my other Baby cousin, Austin's lovely little girlfriend, Sarah, and all is good. I love my cousin, Shannon, and anytime spent with them is quality time. Fun, great stuff.
 |
| We still liked her in spite of her "texas" hat. |
We Thunder up at the Hotel room, trying to not be sick from all the food we ate, and watch Thunder win their game. More snoring and we get through another night without incident. And little sleep.
Hit the Grapevine Mills Mall the next morning, and who knew a mall was the size of a small town? We started in Penneys where they had shopping carts, so luckily, we snagged one and mom pushed it the length of the mall. Yep, we were total bag ladies. Came in handy for our bargains. And saved mom walking the 2000 miles required at that ridiculously shaped mall. It's a circle, and there is no way out but through. Once you are in , there is no escaping. Of course, all the wonderful stores were the last ones, and we were too tired to give our full attention to them, but we did it. We traversed the mall. Made Purchases. And loaded them in our buggy of life.
 |
| Gram knows how to rock a mall. |
Made it back to the train station with just enough time for a slightly excited, unstable lady came up to us and "encourage" us to donate to her "Train" fund to get to OKC. She had hospital bands on and kept asking us to help her get to the city to her "Program".
Alrighty. then.
She walked off, and Lacey said "MOVE" and we exited stage left to the other side of the station.
Phew. I thought I was going to have to help haul a lady to her "Program". And had I been alone, I would have because I am just that stupid. HELP EVERYONE. For. the. love. She would have ended up with all my cash, too.
Thankfully, I had the voice of reason with me (Mom, talking way tooo loudly) "She's probably a PANHANDLER, I've seen them on TV"...which I don't even know what that means....but I obey my mom..
4 hours in the train later...we are driving into our garage for the end of our adventure.
What a great Christmas memory. All it needed was Kipster. (Who I might add, saw a picture of me and Lacey in conductor hats at the train station before we left, and called to ask Lacey what in the world was she wearing, and of course mom had a big gulp and cheetos.) Wardrobe/food police from 10,000 miles away. Oh, I love my crazy family and life.
God is so very good.
No comments:
Post a Comment